Indian Naval Ship Kuthar visits Colombo

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kuthar, an indigenously built Khukri-class corvette, arrived at the Colombo Port on Monday on a three-day visit. 

The ship was welcomed in a traditional manner with the tunes of the Sri Lankan Navy band and its officers. On arrival, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Nitin Sharma, called on Commander Western Naval Area Rear Admiral M.H.C.J. Silva.

In a ceremony onboard, the ship formally handed over a refilled cylinder of the fire-fighting system, an essential component of the major safety system installed on the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship (SLCGS) Suraksha. It may be recalled that the SLCGS Suraksha is an Offshore Patrol Vessel transferred to Sri Lanka by the Government of India in October 2017. India has also donated spare parts for the ship earlier in June 2021, April 2022, and June 2024, and also provided similar assistance in refilling of cylinders in January 2024.

During the stay in Colombo, INS Kuthar will conduct professional interaction onboard for Sri Lanka Navy personnel, aimed at sharing best practices between both the Navies. Further demonstration on Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and force protection operations will be conducted by Sri Lanka Navy for the ship’s personnel. The ship will also undertake sports fixtures and yoga with the Sri Lanka Navy. 

The visit of the INS Kuthar is also significant in view of the potential for cooperation between India and Sri Lanka for augmenting capabilities of the Sri Lanka Navy to efficiently address shared challenges of maritime security in the region. The ship is scheduled to depart on 6 March.

The last visit was by Indian Coast Guard Ships (ICGSs) Vaibhav and Abhiraj to Colombo and Galle from 23 December 2024-2 January 2025. Visits by Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels to Sri Lanka aim to foster camaraderie and interoperability between the two friendly Navies and Coast Guards, which is in keeping with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the Indian Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).